Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday announced the appointment of 25,000 teachers, bringing relief to the state that has been battling the shortage of teachers for the last two decades.

Speaking after the launch of 80 district-level schools of excellence at a function in Ranchi, Hemant said: “The recruitment process for 25,000 teachers will be completed by the end of this month. This will strengthen teaching and learning in state-owned schools.”

“We are aware of the shortage of teachers. Due to hindrances and obstacles, teachers could not be appointed. However, we are trying to recruit teachers in large numbers. Each school has a management committee and we would request such committees to play an important role in monitoring the functioning of the schools. Best-performing schools will be awarded,” he added.

The 80 district-level schools of excellence launched on Tuesday will provide education in English medium based on the CBSE syllabus.

Economist Jean Dreze along with other rights activists had cited a survey of state-owned schools that stated that out of total 35,438 primary schools, 6,904 are single-teacher schools accounting for 19.48 per cent, which is in violation of the Right to Education Act.

Hemant announced that 5,000 more schools in Jharkhand will be made schools of excellence in each of the panchayats.

“Apart from state-of-the-art infrastructure, principals and faculty members of such schools have been provided training according to the CBSE course by the state government through IIMs and other reputed institutions. Providing quality education to the children of all classes and communities, especially the tribals and the marginalised, is one of the top priorities of our government,” Hemant added.

The chief minister also inaugurated the newly constructed building of Thakur Vishwanath Shahdev High School in Jagannathpur and inaugurated its website.

According to the state project director of Jharkhand Education Project Council, Kiran Kumar Passi, 325 block-level model schools will be inaugurated in each block by the next year besides 4,091 panchayat level-model schools across the state.

The principals of the 80 schools of excellence have been trained online by the National Centre for School Leadership in two phases. The principals and selected faculty members have also completed training offered by the Azim Premji Foundation and IIM Ranchi in two phases.

All students in these 80 schools of excellence will be imparted vocational training for 11 different trades. Arrangements are being made to facilitate on-job training through industrial field visits to state-level establishments and institutions associated with the respective trades so that employment opportunities can be made available to the students in accordance with their interests.